UCLA takes pounding from Stanford

STANFORD – Worn down by Stanford’s brutal defense – the likes of which he and his UCLA offense hadn’t seen all season – sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley lowered himself into a large tub of ice just outside the Bruins’ locker room, and let the freezing water wash over him.

The water could numb the physical aches, soothing the effects of the many hits he’d taken with an injury-depleted offensive line as his only line of protection. But the chill of the ice water couldn’t take away the pain of UCLA’s first loss this season, a 24-10 bludgeoning by the Cardinal that wore him and the Bruins’ offense down, bit by bit.

Hundley stared off into space for several minutes at a time, letting the ice soak on his bare skin. He looked down at the water and shook his head. He’d wanted this one so badly. He knew, better than most, the implications (that a spot in the national title conversation was on the line). He was born to play in these games, he said earlier in the week.

“You want to win these games so bad,” he said later, hanging his head. “So bad.”

For the second week in a row, he struggled to hit open receivers. He went 24 of 39 for 192 yards and a touchdown, but the numbers did little to indicate the struggle involved.

This time he spent more time on the run than he had all season, just trying to stay upright. His team, a perfect 5-0 heading into Saturday’s game, followed suit.

“A lot of times,” offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said, “I think that he feels he has to do everything.”

But there was only so much that Hundley could do on Saturday, as his offense, overmatched and overwhelmed, tried its best to hang on.

The run game, after an initial outburst from Malcolm Jones on UCLA’s first drive, was mostly stagnant. Jones’ first three carries – good for 28 yards – were enough to lead the Bruins in rushing. For the second consecutive week, UCLA failed to reach 80 yards on the ground, finishing with 74 yards on 27 carries.

And as the run game faltered, UCLA’s young offensive line collapsed, forced to brace for impact against a more physical, more experienced Stanford front that was expecting the pass.

Injuries to left tackles Simon Goines and Conor McDermott would compound the problem, forcing UCLA to reshuffle the entire line in the third quarter. From there, Hundley rarely found a calm moment in the pocket.

Even as the Bruins’ offense sputtered, held scoreless in the first half for the first time since November 2011, UCLA’s suddenly stout defense had given its offense a chance. They held Stanford’s offense to just three points in the first half, and a 38-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn tied the game just a few minutes into the third quarter.

But from there, the mistakes that doomed the Bruins last November slowly derailed them again, as Stanford’s offense finally found rhythm in their run game. Running back Tyler Gaffney rumbled for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the second half alone.

Two big passes downfield from Kevin Hogan, including a one-handed, highlight-reel grab from Kodi Whitfield in the end zone gave Stanford its first score and a 10-3 lead. And on the next drive, Hundley – determined to throw the ball downfield – failed to see Stanford’s Jordan Richards coming from over the top. Richards picked the ball off, and soon after, the Cardinal took a 14-point lead – quite a mountain to climb, given the Bruins’ inability all afternoon to move the ball.

Still, Hundley tried his best to climb it. On the next drive, he completed eight straight passes, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown pass to wideout Shaq Evans at the front of the end zone. For 11 plays and 75 yards, Hundley seemed to find a rhythm. The game – and a 6-0 record – remained in reach.

And with 2:57 remaining, Hundley stepped under center with his depleted line surrounding him and a chance to tie the game and be the hero he’d hoped to be on the biggest stage.

Pressured by linebacker Shayne Skov, his first pass fell incomplete. The second sailed out of bounds, with defensive end Ben Gardner hot on his tail.

His third miss would be the final, crushing blow. Hundley misfired across the middle to tight end Thomas Duarte, leaving the ball in the outstretched hands of Richards for the second time.

“I don’t think any one game ever really defines you,” UCLA coach Jim Mora said. “Whether you have arrived or you’re not very good or you are very good. It’s your body of work. So far, our body of work is pretty good. ... There’s a process to building something. There’s a process to going through a season. Today, we weren’t good enough.”